Mets Sherlock Without a Clue

NY Mets coach Glenn Sherlock operates a catching camp in Phoenix, Arizona. Right now he’s probably wondering why he left it this winter for a Mets coaching job. Sherlock spent 19 years as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks, serving as bench coach from 2015-16. The 56 year old is listed as the Mets’ third-base coach, but his primary responsibility within the organization is to act as a mentor to catcher Travis d’Arnaud. Last season, d’Arnaud threw out only 17-of-61 (22 percent) of the runners who attempted to steal against him.

Sherlock might have tipped off that he knew what he was up against back in February. Asked by the NY Post if he believed Travis’s throwing problems were mechanical, Sherlock responded:

I have watched a lot of video over the winter, but it’s different when you see players on the field. I want to save and see what they do, see how they warm up. Those are the things that I am watching right now.

He’s probably watched enough by now. Travis has been even worse at throwing out runners this season, as the table below shows.

Catcher

PB

SB

CS

CS%

ERA

d'Arnaud

2

31

6

16%

4.45

Rivera

1

17

10

37%

5.14

Plawecki

1

5

2

29%

6.71

Handling the Pitching Staff

Plus, while it’s mostly not his fault, the pitching has been horrible this year too. The team ERA of 4.89 ranks next to last in the National League. Last season it was reported that pitching coach Dan Warthen occasionally blamed d’Arnaud for poor pitch sequencing. It was thought that having Sherlock in Travis’s corner would help him weather Warthen’s scorn. Maybe it has, but the results don’t show it.

Waving Them All Home

Sherlock replaced Tim Teufel as third base coach. Last season Teufel was criticized for sending slow footed Wilmer Flores home on a couple of plays where he had no chance of scoring. On one of those plays, Wilmer slid head first and injured his shoulder. Sherlock has also had several questionable calls. He errors on the side of over-aggressiveness. Either because of ignorance of the opposing player’s throwing arm or his own runners’ speed. It’s rare for any third base coach not to get some criticism. Let’s just say Sherlock is no Bobby Valentine or Buddy Harrelson when it comes to third base coaches.

Uncertain Future

The contracts of everyone from GM Sandy Alderson to manager Terry Collins expire at the end of the season. So it’s likely that there will be a high turn over rate in the coaching staff as well. Glenn Sherlock will probably find himself back at his catching camp in Phoenix, wondering what just happened.

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